Blueberry Bars for Back to School!

This post is originally from 2011 and it is hilarious for me to read it, since my boys are now 17 and 19 years old and no longer have little fingers, because they’re 6-feet tall. The only thing that remains the same 7 years later; they still love these Blueberry Bars!

2011: Yesterday was the official end of summer in my house. Back to school for both boys, and I spent the day wishing they were home again. “Seriously?” You may ask. I spent the past several weeks anticipating the beginning of school with a certain glee, which may have bordered on unhealthy. I couldn’t wait to have peace and quiet in my house, for hours at a time. I looked forward to doing my work without interruption, sans little fingers dipping into the bowl. But, when it came to the actual day, I missed them and couldn’t wait for them to get off the bus.* Instead of pathetically staring out the window waiting, I decided to bake them some Blueberry Bars. Every MN kid loves bars.

For those of you from the coasts, I am referring to a layered dessert baked in a pan resembling a brownie/cookie/pie, but can be made with fruit, caramel, chocolate or anything else your pantry contains. Then they are cut into neat bars. I was first introduced to this concept when I moved to Minneapolis in 1993. Bars are generally served on a buffet table with lots of crock pots filled with “hot dish.” Every family has their own recipe, usually a tightly held secret, mostly kept from the neighbors.

To watch me make these bars and for tips on easy lattice and stable fillings, watch my instagram video. Recipe below.

Blueberry Bars with Lemon Thyme Shortbread Crust and Lattice to WOW the neighbors!

In a Food Processor combine the confectioners’ sugar, flour, butter, salt and thyme.

Process the ingredients until it forms dough. If you are using cold butter this may take a few minutes. (Don’t wash the bowl, we will use it again for the cream cheese dough.)

Press the dough into the prepared pan. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top and then rub it smooth.

Bake on the middle rack for about 20 minutes, just until it is light gold. Allow the crust to cool while you prepare the cream cheese dough and filling.

In the food processor cream together the cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar.

Add the flour and pulse the dough until it comes together in a soft ball. Divide the ball in two discs and refrigerate for about one hour.

While the dough is chilling prepare the blueberries: In a sauce pan add the blueberries and ginger. In a small bowl whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then add it to the blueberries. Cook over low heat until the blueberries thicken and reduce by about half.

When you are done cooking them you will have about 2 1/2 cups of blueberry filling. Set aside while you prepare the lattice. Watch me make this in my instagram video.

Once the cream cheese dough is chilled, roll it out on a well floured surface and then use a Pastry Wheel to create strips. You can make them thick of thin, depending on what look you are going for. These strips are about 1/2-inch thick.

Lay out half the strips on a sheet of parchment, set on a cookie sheet, with some space between the strips.

Fold up every other strip and lay one of the remaining strips across those still laid flat.

Repeat with the next rows until you reach the bottom.

Start back at the middle and do the same on the other side.

Place the cookie sheet with lattice in the freezer to stiffen.

Pour the blueberry filling over the thyme shorbread crust and let it sit while you wait for the lattice to chill.

Remove the lattice from the freezer and make sure it is the right size. This is just done by eyeballing it next to the pan, then use the pastry wheel to trim excess. You can always trim more when you place it on the filling. Quickly brush the lattice with the egg wash.

Carefully lift the lattice onto the filling. If the lattice is chilled well enough this should be a very easy task. If it is still too soft return it to the freezer until it is harder. Trim any excess. Sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden and filling bubbling.

Your bars look fantastic! I learned several things here!!! I had no idea there was something called MN Food Bloggers. Will definitely be looking into that. I didn’t know bars were a regional thing. Really? Do you suppose I served bars to people when I lived in Vermont and they were too polite to wonder aloud about them?

I always learn great tips from your detailed instructions and photos. Love the way you froze the lattice to make it easy to transfer to the top of the blueberry filling. Great tip! This looks delicious.

If it has lemon thyme, my favorite herb, in it, it must be good. I grow my own lemon thyme (plus a few other herbs) and I’m always on the lookout for new and tasty ways to use herbs. Since I have fall raspberries in the backyard, I wonder if a raspberry variation of this would work.

Today was my turn to bring dessert to my quilt group, so I decided to make these blueberry bars. I grow lemon thyme in my garden, so it was perfect. They were a hit. My friends knew there was a hint of some extra flavor, but couldn’t guess what it was. No bars remained. I’ll definitely make these again!

Made these today for an afternoon backyard party. I only had frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, rasberries) and followed the recipe directions. Absolutely delicious! We whipped up some heavy cream for a topping. Thank you!

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Welcome to ZoëBakes

I'm Zoë François and I love to bake. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. I studied pastry at the CIA, worked in restaurants, write cookbooks and you can also find my creations in national magazines, my BluePrint baking classes and my instagram videos. More...